My Heart Bleeds...

A blog centred by the inspiration of the persecuted church around the world to help us lead lives of bolder faith in Christ, and which has a vision to unite people in prayer for our family in Jesus who cannot live out faith in freedom.

[weareopeningdoors]

This is the church in Iraq and Syria. This is love that won’t give in.

[weareopeningdoors]

Holding Lightly // Giving Freely - Generosity of Spirit #3

The wonderful people of Just Love, Durham, continue to challenge me as I catch up on their vlogs about giving. We have so much, and we only want to give the leftovers of our time, money, words, ears, self. We are not as extravagant as Jesus was in his death, or as the widow was when in her poverty she put in all she had. Our hearts need to change. We are not counting the cost of our faith when it comes to generosity, and we need to pray that God will shape us to be people more like Christ and his early followers so glimpsed so much of what that looked like and yet ran after and pursued this with their whole lives.

[bekahsays]

Living in the UK means we have a lot of freedom, right? We have freedom to say whatever we want, do whatever we want (within reason) and believe whatever we want. What if I told you that this isn’t the case for many people around the world? What if I said that were you to practice what you...

[blank-colours]

oceans 

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hillsong united

[weareopeningdoors]

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

Pslam 11:7

[weareopeningdoors]

Arise, Lord ! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”? But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.

Psalm 10:12-14

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SYRIA

Millions remain displaced both in and outside of Syria. Pray for their health and safety.

[rebellious-grace]

Back to reality.

[a-joyfuljourney]

[godlywoman]

Why does a God of love allow us to go through suffering? That’s because suffering is a part of the syllabus in our spiritual education. It is through suffering that God leads us on to maturity.

Zac Poonen (via jesus-christ-is-king)

[weareopeningdoors]

Resolutions

One of my resolutions this year is to value Christ more highly than whatever might be troubling me, or whatever work I might have to do, or whatever things I want to cling onto, or my time. I have been reminded recently that we take far too much ownership of our lives. The truth is, they have been gifted to us by God: every breath is because he sustains our bodies for another few seconds. All that we have is given to us by him an therefore, not really ours. We are stewards of our houses, our clothes, our money, and we should give them freely for his glory and service, or leave them in order to pursue his calling for our lives. We are stewards of the time God has given. We are stewards of the message he has revealed to us, and we owe a debt of love to everyone around us to share it.

In becoming more Christ-centred this year I must look towards my persecuted family. I have to, because I know that I might never face such oppression, such fear, beatings, torture, seeking asylum... because I believe in Jesus. They suffer and love Christ. They have given up security, comfort, freedom and community for Christ. They still believe, and value faith in Christ over treasure on earth.

Each day we all face a choice to walk with Christ, to give over the events of the day and our choices to him. Most days I fail to get that far, and still try and get by on my own, thinking that completing my work, seeing my friends, going about my life is more important that time in the presence of God, alone in prayer and seeking after his teaching. 

A challenge this year: live with the faith and humility of a persecuted believer, knowing that with Christ all else is nothing, and being willing to truly carry the cross and leave treasures behind me.

[onancientpaths]

"It won’t be much of a Christmas for the Christians of the Middle East. Wherever you go in the region this season, you see the Arab Spring rapidly turning into a Christian winter. Indeed, the entire last decade has been catastrophic for the region’s beleaguered 14-million strong Christian minority. In Egypt, the political upheavals have been accompanied by a series of anti-Coptic riots and intermittent bouts of church burning. On the West Bank and in Gaza, the Christians are emigrating fast as they find themselves caught between Netanyahu’s pro-settler government and their increasingly radicalised Sunni Muslim neighbours. Most catastrophically, in Iraq, two-thirds of the Christians have fled the country since the fall of Saddam It was Syria that took in many Christians driven out of Iraq a decade ago. Now those Iraqi refugees find themselves facing a second displacement while their Syrian hosts are themselves living in daily fear of having to flee for their lives… The Christian community, which makes up around 10% of the total population, is now frankly terrified. Many are fleeing for Lebanon, Turkey or Jordan. There are tragic reports emerging of the wholesale emigration of the ancient Armenian community of Syria.” [Source]

[jamiekcurtis-blog]

Because a sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free.

The Advocate (Before the Throne of God Above) by Charitie L. Smith, 1863 (via jamiekcurtis)

[weareopeningdoors]

The Best Is Yet To Come

People are saying this a lot around New Years. It’s popular around tumblr, too, floating between many blogs that would otherwise be unconnected. But for the Christian, it isn’t just a vain hope that this year will be better, that greater things are ahead in this life simply because we are positive people. It might be that on earth we have better times to come, and that’s brilliant - praise God! But when we say this as Christians, we should say it with a view to the New Creation. I can’t imagine myself saying this to a persecuted believer in Syria or Iraq, or in a person trapped in a labour camp in North Korea, without them thinking of being with Jesus. We hope and pray for their release, for oppression to stop, for God to convert leaders of ISIS and other oppressive regimes, to intervene and bring glory to his name once more in countries where his name is despised. We can pray in the knowledge that God can make these situations better, but not with certainty that he will. But we can pray that all Christians living in countries where Christ’s name is dishonoured, where church is underground, where being a Christian is secretive and could cost you your life will know with full assurance that the best is yet to come, life with Christ in New Creation awaits, and will be eternal, and that this beautiful truth will encourage them to continue on running that race of faith.

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[weareopeningdoors]

Lord, you know what wandering hearts are in need of your comfort as this new year comes. People who have perhaps lost hope, lost people they love, are suffering with illness and disease, or by watching others they love suffer. Parents of missing children, family of the murdered or wrongfully imprisoned. Victims of traffiking, people displaced from their homes, country and culture by ISIS. You are there, you can bring comfort.

Pour out your Spirit on this world, Lord, that people may know and believe in Jesus who forgives and restores and gives us righteousness we don't deserve, freedom in Him, an eternity where there is no corruption or illness or crying or mourning, where we celebrate God in his Glory and worship him forever. A New Creation promised to all who believe. Reveal yourself. Reveal your love through comforting those in pain. Encourage, stir up souls to know you and follow you. May our only true, lasting comfort come from You, Father, the Salvation through your Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in us now.

Amen

[rebellious-grace]

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭58‬ NIV (via social-justce)

[weareopeningdoors]

Beth Croft: Worship

Beth Croft reflects on living out the words she sings to Jesus, and the inspirational story of a North Korean Christian.